OK, I need some empathy and support after the day that I have had. I work in
a NICU of a Children's hospital (we do not do deliveries). I was told by one
of the NICU nurses that has her CLC that another nurse took down my breastmilk
signs and pitched them because they were offensive and made mothers feel
guilty. These were very tasteful signs that had been given to me by my friends at
WIC that discussed the benefits of breastmilk. They had been up since August!!
She is off until Monday but I will talk to her then, assuming I can be
professional and not say what I am really thinking.
Then, as I sat down to lunch, I got paged by the NICU saying that a mother
had just arrived and wanted help breastfeeding NOW for the 1st time since they
were being discharged today. Baby was 4 days old and had come to us for resp
distress. I told them I would be there in 20 minutes but suggested they ask help
of a particular nurse in the NICU that I knew was proficient at putting
babies to breast. By the time I arrived (less than 20 min later) the nurse had
given him 2 oz of formula and was giving him an immuniziation. She told me what
she had given him "because Mom doesn't have any milk and he needed supplemented
anyway".By the time I got him to Mom's breast, he was asleep. Gee, I wonder
why? Mom's breasts were actually full and she pumped off several ounces after we
failed at our attempt to get him to nurse. Family packed up and was
discharged shortly afterward. I went back to the nurse to tell her I was upset that she
had given the baby so much formula and she went into a story of how she and
this other nurse (BF supportive) had repeatedly tried to get him latched but
that he had screamed his head off. I went to the other nurse to thank her for
trying and she said that she had gone to bedside but that his nurse was giving
him and bottle and was to call when she was ready for help. She had never
attempted to put this baby to breast.
OK, now that I am done ranting I need help. We started our lactation program
3 years ago from nothing and have dealt with nurses attitudes all during this
time. I feel like we have made progress...rates of receiving breastmilk have
gone from the teens prior to our program to 40+% average. Not great but a good
start. Without the nurses support we are not going anywhere. How do I change
attitude? How do I make them realize not "doing breast" is not an option, just
like "not doing vents" is not an option? I am meeting with the nurse manager
and nurse educator on Monday and need some concrete ideas. I job share this
position and we are only 40 hours a week so there is alot of time when we are not
there and the nurses need to be able to talk to moms about benefits of
breastmilk (not looking for breastfeeding), pumping routines, increasing milk
supply. Any and all ideas would be greatly appreciated. I love what I am doing but
my stress level tonight is out of control as you can tell by the length of this
post.
Thanks for all the wonderful advice.
Chris Smith, RN, IBCLC, RLC

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